STOKE were well beaten by Cradley in the National Trophy at Monmore Green on Monday night losing out 59-29 to the Heathens.
The A.R. Richards Potters got off to a flying start as guest Danny Ayres took advantage of Heathens number one Adam Roynon suffering an engine failure allowing partner Paul Burnett to come through for second place with Conor Dwyer third for a Potters 5-1. The Heathens levelled in the next race with a 5-1 from Drew Kemp and Jason Edwards before Stoke went back in front with a 3-2 heat advantage skipper Tony Atkin taking the victory from Bradley Andrews after Adam Extance and Kyle Bickley had both been excluded. A 5-1 from Jordan Jenkins and Jason Edwards in heat four out the Heathen back in front after Rob Shuttleworth had been excluded for falling. Ayres and Burnett combined for a 4-2 in heat five for the Potters before Roynon and Dwyer returned the compliment in the next leaving the Potters trailing 19-16 after 6 heats.
The Heathens then claimed a 5-1 and two 4-2 heat advantages in the next three heats to start pulling away before before Atkin and Adam Extance gained a Potters 4-2 in heat ten leaving the Potters trailing 34-25.
The Potters then collapsed as the Heathens smashed Stoke’s resistance as they gained four 5-1 advantages and a 5-0 in the final heat.
Potters team manager Adam Isherwood commented “I cannot fault the effort of the lads and we battled really hard especially in the opening six races before they started to pull away from us in the second half of the meeting. Again we had some falls and a few decisions go against us but we have to put this behind us and do better in the return on Saturday night.”
CRADLEY 59: Jordan Jenkins 14+1, Jason Edwards 11+3, Drew Kemp 10+2, Kyle Bickley 10+1, Adam Roynon 6, Bradley Andrews 5+1, Conor Dwyer 3. STOKE 29: Tony Atkin 8, Paul Burnett 6+1, Danny Ayres 6, Rob Shuttleworth 5, Adam Extance 2, Joe Alcock 1, William O’Keefe 1.